Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Cindy Sheehan Doesn't Speak for Me Tour

Supporters of U.S. Involvement in Iraq Plan Caravans to Texas

Deborah Johns' son William is a Marine stationed in Iraq. She sympathizes with Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war protester who lost her son to enemy fire 16 months ago. However, Johns believes a pull-out now would negate what troops are fighting for in Iraq. She takes exception to Sheehan's protest and plans to do something about it.

Update: Ronald R. Griffin is the father of Spc. Kyle Andrew Griffin, a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star, who was killed in a truck accident on a road between Mosul and Tikrit on May 30, 2003. He writes passionately and honestly in the must readShe Does Not Speak for Me

He concludes with:

Those who lost their lives believed in the mission. To honor their memory, and because it's right, we must believe in the mission, too.

We refuse to allow Cindy Sheehan to speak for all of us. Instead, we ask you to learn the individual stories. They are glorious. Honor their memories.

Honor their service. Never dishonor them by giving in. They never did.

18 Comments:

Though I am not sure I agree with Cindy Sheehans way of doing things. I just have to say many many people support the troops 100%. Some, including me, just don't support the war any longer. Bush is close behind that also.

I'm just never sure what to say when people tell me this (not in an angry way, just a perplexed way). What is it you don't support any more? The need to get rid of terrorists? Establishing a new democracy in Iraq and the Middle East?

People seem to forget that there were 17 UNITED NATIONS resolutions involving WMD in Iraq... that ten years of sanctions hadn't worked... that Saddam was maintaining training bases for terrorists -- terrorists that had just attacked the USA -- that coupled with his history and verified stockpiles of WMD which he had used on tens of thousands of his own people -- was a big enough threat to our national security for republicans AND democrats to authorize force. [We would probably not be at war today if Sadddam had just complied with the terms of the UN resolutions.]

Should we just abandon the Iraqis now before they can defend themselves domestically and internationally?

Should all the American deaths including Casey Sheehan's and the deaths of Iraqis be in vain??

So what part of the war don't you support?

Is it because it's taking some time? The President (whom I will say I do not support on many issues) told us all that it would be a long, difficult fight. Is it because 1,800 Americans have died? What's an acceptable level? At what point did you stop supporting the war?

Yes, it is tragic that Americans have died, including Casey Sheehan, that Iraqis are dying, that anyone is dying there. From my perspective, our troops cannot come home soon enough... no matter how soon everyone else wants them home, the families of soldiers want them home sooner than that. It can't be soon enough, fast enough. But the men and women of our armed forces know and believe they have a job to do and they WANT to finish what they started.

You dont have to know what to say. I have my beliefs and you have yours. I have family fighting over there. I support the troops. WMD's?? Hmm, from my recollection we never found any. 1,800 troops is to many, and we are just losing more and more everyday. I know we are trying to keep terrorists out of USA, but we can do that over here. I did support the war in the beginning, because I just believed everything Bush had to say, but now I have learned and listened, that we as Americans were mislead. I think it is time for our troops to start coming home. No don't pull them all out at once, but quit sending more and more over there.

WMD's were not the only reason we went to Iraq. Seems I remember a 10-point, reasoned argument of which WMD's were only one part. That, however, was the focus of the mainstream media and thus, most of the public.

Cindy Sheehan has affiliated herself with some of the saddest and sickest examples of "free speech". They have glommed on to her because no one can criticize a grieving mother without sounding harsh.

But, just as I tell students whose dads are heart surgeons that it doesn't give them automatic credibility to speak on a heart-related topic, having a child who has perished in a war doesn't make you the be-all, end-all on commenting on the war. Contrary to Maureen Dowd's proclamation, this woman is no absolute moral authority.

Her son, who cannot speak for himself, was an adult with his own convictions, beliefs, and reasons for living how he chose to live and ultimately, die.

Cindy Sheehan has openly opposed the war effort since it began. And, although the press hasn't covered it, she's claimed that a "Jewish faction" within the gov't planned the entire thing...she's using her son as a platform, others are hitching their wagons to her and it's out-of-control.

Literally thousands of stories mentioning Sheehan have run since the beginning of the month. There is no balance and no one seems to want to ask her any questions of value.

Frankly, I think she's around the bend and she isn't coming back. It's a shame others are capitalizing on that and even more despicable that the news media isn't providing a balanced view of the situation.

I keep hearing "I support the troops, but I don't support the war". You CANNOT do that. The troops believe in their mission enough to lay down their lives if necessary to get it done. They are proud of the work they've done and the good they've accomplished. How can you say you support the troops if you don't support their mission? It's a totally ridiculous thing to say.

I cannot understand the perverse pleasure the trolls get from posting on soldiers' or soldiers' moms blogs.

In this world of instant gratification, there are so many people who are ready to throw in the towel almost immediately. They don't seem to have any concept of the big picture of what we are trying to accomplish over there. It makes complete sense to me that bringing openness and democracy to the middle east will erase the hate. It won't happen right away; anyone who thinks that is not being realistic, but it will happen in time. Why on earth would the Iraqis choose to live under another tyrant when they have had their liberated country handed to them? People like Cindy only prolong the problem because they give encouragement to the enemy.

Yes, yes you can support the troops without supporting the war. Many do and can. Supporting the troops is very different than supporting what they are over in Iraq for. I am not saying some of the things they are doing over their are not good and heartfelt. What I am saying is, we went into this war on lies and enough is enough on our dead soldiers. Some of the soldies agree that the reason we went to war was just bs, not all of them support it, they are just there doing what they signed up for. Just because they may or may not agree with it doesn't matter. They still have to be there. I am in support of all the soldiers, especially my family that is currently fighting, that does not mean that I have to support this war 100%.

MissBirdlegs, I respectfully disagree. I believe one hundred percent that you can ABSOLUTELY disagree with the politics that put our troops over there, yet support those brave men and women 100%. I do know that the majority of troops who are over there absolutely believe in their mission and in what they're accomplishing. I respect that and I admire that. Hell, my boyfriend is one of them. I'm not saying I'm "for" the war and I'm not saying I'm against it. I'm just saying that you don't have to agree with Pres. Bush and his actions in order to support our amazing military servicemen and women with all your heart.

How can anyone support our troops and not support our war. I do not understand these people that do post anonymous. They are always the ones that are negative and against our President and Commander most of the time.

If these people had a son/daughter in the war, they would know just how we feel as parents, but until you have walked a mile in our shoes, then you don't have a clue how/what/when we feel as parents. You have no idea what it is like to stay awake nights pacing the floors wondering if your child is alive. These people don't know what it is like to look out your front door day after day hoping and praying that the strange car that has just pulled up your driveway is not the Army coming to give you bad news. So please until you have been through what us parents have been through, don't judge us, uspecially from Cindy's actions.

Our President/Commander is doing an excellent job, and I back him 100%.

Sorry SSM, I just had to vent a little. This crap I guess is really getting to me.

I'm still trying to figure out what lies were told... how can 17 votes at the united nations first, be characterized as lies, and then attributed solely to the Bush administration?? And that's just for starters.

And keep in mind, all that we have learned about Iraq's capabilities AFTER the start of the war is all well and good... Go back and look at what we ALL knew (or heartily believed) before the war. Perhaps people need to get past how or why we got there (or what they perceive to be the reasons) and look at the MISSION NOW... and why it's important to support THIS mission -- our soldiers' mission. And while there well may be some soldiers that don't agree with how or why we got there, they all believe 100% in their mission: kill or capture terrorists and train the Iraqis to defend themselves from all their enemies - foreign or domestic.

I read "WHY WE MUST STAY IN IRAQ" over at You Must Be Kidding (www.youmbkidding.blogspot.com). Powerful reasons to finish what we started.

The Ollie North piece is interesting, too as is Joe Galloway's latest...

Thank you SSM. As soon as I read this story online this morning I jumped over here because I knew you'd have something to say about it and something to say that I agree with.

My husband leaves Aug. 29th for a year+ tour. He is part of a MI BN. I love him dearly and the only way I know how to support him is to support everything that all the men are doing.

She is disrespecting her son's memory and to me that is the greatest loss in all of this.

As for WMD my husband came home over 2 months ago from training at our local base and told me he stood next to a very large WMD... funny that didn't make the news but as he says the news wouldn't dare report anything that made Bush out to be right!

All I can say is that I love and support all the men and women working so hard, in such harsh conditions so that we can even have this discussion.

In my opinion Bush will have the last laugh. I believe we have found more there then he lets on and that in the end he continues to do what he does because he knows he's been right all along, certainly my husband has more conviction now than ever after seeing what he saw.

Some people forget that the people who join the military do so at their own free will, they accept the job, they accept the president as their commander and they are willing....yes WILLING to die because they have such conviction. We should all be so lucky to have such conviction about life.

Casey's mother should hold a sign that says Thank you son for awarding me the privilege to live in a country where I can protest.

Thank you again SSM. I love this blog and as we prepare to say goodbye to my husband my mother-in-law and I are faithful readers!!

As a soldier I cannot bring myself to think ill of Mrs. Sheehan for her somewhat misguided actions but for every statement about her son that she makes she omits details that show what kind of person her son was. Cindy forgets to mention that her son had re-enlisted in the military, and had also volunteered for combat? Why couldn’t she stop him from enlisting Twice? What could possibly have motivated him to do that? What did he tell her about the war when she spoke with him? Was he in reality against the entire establishment as claimed by his mother or is it something all together different, well? The actions of Spc. Sheehan paint a different picture instead of an anti-establishment protestor he was in reality a soldier who put the needs of the army and his nation above his own. The warrior Ethos compels soldiers to fight through any and all conditions to victory no matter how much effort is required. It is the soldier’s selfless commitment to the nation, mission, unit, and fellow soldiers. It is the professional attitude that inspires every American soldier. Warrior Ethos is grounded in refusal to accept failure. It is developed and sustained through discipline, commitment to the Army values, and pride in the Army's heritage.

I WILL ALWAYS PLACE THE MISSION FIRST.I WILL NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT.I WILL NEVER QUIT.I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMRADE.

Her son was a man of honor while her behavior is anything but honorable she defames her sons memory with her current activity.Grief is understandable but what the father I am sure he also feels grief for the loss of his son. Is he in front of the cameras making demands of the commander and chief?

It is obvious that Cindy Sheehan doesn't speak for you! She speaks for her son who was killed for lies, and for all true American patriots, those who are able to think and willing to break through emotional prejudice to see what truly is!Any unthinking, lazy-minded person who needs to be told he/she is a member of the greatest people on Earth is easily drawn into bumper sticker hate mentality. Obviously Cindy does not speak for you.So how about some truth?17 United Nations resolutions involving WMD? Yes they worked. To satisfy the hate-mongers, the UN sent in another team to search out again for any possible remaining WMDs. They certified that none exist. While Mr. Bush was lying that Sadam would not let the inspectors in, these same inspectors were being given unfettered access to all of Iraq. To satisgy the hate-mongers they were destroying missiles that Iraq was allowed to posess for self-defense. They were forced to leave Iraq because the blitzkreig murderous bombing of Bhagdad was beginning.Iraq not only did not have any WMDs, but the ones they had that were destroyed years ago were sold to Iraq by the good old US of A.Not only did they not have any WMDs, and George knew it, but even the Iraq army lacked sufficient weaponry to put up any fight. Years of economic sanctions left Iraq an unarmed, starved, demoralized nation.Training bases for terrorists? Allies with Osama Binladen? Preposterous! Sadam Hussain and Osama Binladen are enemies. Sadam Hussain epitomizes everthing Binladen hates: A secular, modern society; Suppression of Islam, banning of major Islamic pilgrimages; Enough said.Sure, Sadam was an evil, violent tyrant. But he was our evil, violent tyrant. We provided him weapons and intelligence to fight our enemy Iran for us. He was ours until we needed him no more. Now it's time to kill him before he reveals anything that might embarrass us.George gave up on the true war on terror, the manhunt for Osama Binladen who was cornered in Tora Bora, in order to invade and occupy Iraq. He traded the war on terror for a war for oil, and for political and cultural control of of the middle east.Cindy just wants George to actually TELL THE TRUTH! His illegal, brutal invasion of an unarmed nation has nothing to do with making America safe and ending terrorism. Cindy just want George to admit what his true purpose for our war is. But George never will admit the truth. He would be impeached, tried and imprisoned.The only honorable thing for America to do is to confess its crimes against foreign nations and make ammends. And to impeach and imprison the members of the neocon coupe. We must take America back from the fascists who have you "unwilling to think victoms" of George's never ending spewing of lies firmly under their control.Cindy doesn't speak for you. She speaks for the truth.